It is among the few words from African languages that have been adopted in English and quoted widely.
The word is ‘indaba’  derived from si-Zulu meaning “business” or ‘resolving matters’ and usually requires summoning representatives from a particular community for important discussions.
The term has found widespread use throughout the world and was even used by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams who used the expression when he announced, in April 2008, a move away from plenary meetings voting on formal resolutions for bishops attending the 2008 Lambeth Conference.
Now President Edgar Lungu has readily heeded for the indaba to iron out contentious issues in Zambia.
We share the president’s confidence that tomorrow’s indaba between political party leaders and the Church mother bodies will yield the desired objective of ending electoral violence.
Contrary to what some sections of political groupings think, the call for indaba should be welcome especially that it has been given blessings by a man who values democracy as demonstrated by his assenting of the mother of all constitutions recently.
It is, therefore, heartening to hear that Mr Lungu has said that while he did not know the views of his compatriots on the matter, he was confident that the meeting will be successful.  We are also happy to note that the indaba will be held at Kapingila House in Lusaka, which is a neutral place.
Even the fact that the indaba was proposed by the Catholic bishops to resolve the prevailing tension between members of different political parties is commendable.
As the President has said, we just hope political party leaders will not shun Tuesday’s peace indaba because it will offer them a good platform to exchange ideas on how best to iron out their differences.
Considering the bickering that has characterised Zambian politics of late, there is no option for political players, but to attend the indaba that has been mooted in good faith.
In a civilised society that Zambia is, we feel indaba is the best way to resolve problems no matter how contentious they can be.
Since other routes only create chaos, mistrust and anarchy, indaba remains the only way to reach decisions that are acceptable to everybody.
From many other case studies, it is indaba that separates democracy from other political philosophies since it encourages solving problems through dialogue.
Like debating in Parliament, where a plurality of views is heard, indaba serves the same purpose of according all parties a voice since it promotes a market of ideas.
President Lungu has once more accepted to be part of a democratic process that will allow plurality of views by including all voices in the political debate: men-women, young-old, rich-poor, minorities and indigenous peoples, different ethnic groupings including the ruling and opposition parties.
From what has been happening in the country, we can give President Lungu extra kudos since he has demonstrated ability to listen which is a more important virtue than talking all the time.
It will therefore be folly for some people to shun such an honest and democratic gesture that will go in the annals of political history as a milestone in our young democracy.
Zambian political players should be made to understand that dialogue is not only revered in a democracy, but in religions like Christianity and Islam.
Dialogue and reasoning is the best possible way one can uphold the truth and resist falsehood.
The ultimate aim of doing this is to arrive at the truth within the framework of dialogue which is a tool of correction, construction and self-evaluation.
Dialogue as opposed to conflict was also widely used by our forefathers to solve touchy issues in ancient Africa.
If our forefathers adopted this method, what about us who claim to be democratic and civilised?